Gangs Of New York : A perspective

Let me admit, I am not a connoisseur of cinema (or for most art forms) as such.
While as far as literature is concerned I can claim that my tastes are tolerable (VS Naipaul and such), my taste in visual medium can shock and awe anyone who claims to have good taste.
I always prefer entertainment over serious intellectual diet. In my defense I can only say that it is inhuman to make a person with as short attention order as me among chattering couples and ringing mobiles , to expect that I will somehow control call of nature to indulge in serious action of intellectual kind, but such are the injustices.My understanding of English cinema is even less owing to the different cultural grounding.

However one of the English pictures that I liked was Gangs Of New York . Part of it was due to do with excessive violence and sex in the movie (which sensible man will not like the combination), but what interested me more was it offered me a peak into the past, that too of world's only superpower. And interesting time was that , at that time US was witnessing large immigration from Europe (Ireland ) owing to wars and famines, moreover the North and South were at loggerheads over abolition of slavery which was to result in Civil war. So it can be no doubt that the period was among one of the most dynamic in US History after War of independence. In this respect it was instructive to watch the film.

The resemblance of the conditions as depicted in film and our present was uncanny.

Corrupt politicians, Police doing the bidding of the most influential, social tension and blood bath, ignorant intelligentsia ,Strongmen bending and breaking the law, nexus of politicians and strongmen, love-hate relation between strongmen and public and between all this gold rush and mad scrambling to exploit virgin territory all these characteristics are similar to what is seen in India today.

We have corrupt politicians, police stands for strongest. We have social tension and frequent riots. Bal Thackarey and Laloo Yadav is adored by their respective constituencies despite being a harmful influence. I am sure many other similarities may be drawn.

So here is(are) the moral(s)

1) America was not built in a day. It took sweat and blood to make it what it is. There was no God who ordained that America should be what it is , nor any manifest destiny at play.
So it is illogical to just compare what America is today with India. America worked for it. Through evolution it has well established institution which deliver and even among so much bickering there is a single idea, a positive force (not necessarily the best )which unites them
That is freedom. So just do not bitch around , do not let heads hang down , do not sag the shoulders and do not sigh. It is not the right time for it.

2) That America changed doesn't neccessaily mean that India will change too for the better.
Many south American countries which got independent long time back are still struggling.
The reason is the idea behind US was much superior.

3) Even if India will change , it will not be to out credit if it takes 100 years to be what America is. America was in a way pioneer in the recent history, it faced problems and solved them. It will be wise for us to recognize the nature of those problems and implement the solution , if possible.
Moral is be observant , read history and learn from it. contrary to what Ford said History is not bunk